Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Buckeyegirl]

Hi,

I'm applying to schools in Seoul right now and was just wondering about where to live. What are the different areas of Seoul like? Which areas would you suggest living/not living?

As always, your help is greatly appreciated.

Buckeyegirl

[oneiros]

Gyeongbuk Palace. Although I don't think the heating system has been used in a while, so it might get a little cold in the winter.

Otherwise, I like Bundang. Look here for more on Bundang. It's not technically part of Seoul, though. More of a suburb.

[phaedrus]

It's difficult because there is not really a bad district, just bad areas. There can be a nice neighborhood five minutes from a crummy one.

The more easily accessable Itaewon, Jongno-Dongdaemun-Myeongdong general area, and Kangnam are, the better you will be. You don't want to live too far in the "sticks".

I lived out near Gimpo in Gangseo Gu, and although it was okay, more downtown would have been nice.

It's all city though. City, city, city.

[royjones]

I like the suburbs of seoul.. because they are close, you can get their easily by subway.. yet far enough away..
I agree Bundang is cool, I live in Anyang City which is cool as well (IMO)

[uberscheisse]

apkujeong's alright. a little bustling and very little green space, but it's got nice restaurants, a couple cool bars and pretty good coffee access - which is the most crucial part of adapting to korea. good coffee.

are you applying to schools to study or to work? if you're working i highly doubt you'll have much of a choice, they'll just stick you somewhere.

sinchon is also nice. hongdae... i was in mokdong a while back and it seemed nice but rather remote.

[VanIslander]

would?

where it's not more than ten minutes to work without having to take a subway,
where it's not too noisy nor too air polluted,
where a swimming pool and nice park are a short walk away,
where people aren't in too much of a hurry, nor pushy

That's all I'd realistically need to consider ever living in Seoul.

[osangrl]

Don't live in the far north area of the orange line... anywhere past Muakje sucks the big banana. I was stuck in Hongje for a year, and that was ghetto ville.

[skinhead]

Youngdeungpo. Paradise on earth.

[osangrl]

excuse me while I hahahahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahahahahhahahahahhahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

[Zyzyfer]

Probably Shinchon as far as location alone goes. I quite like my setup in Bundang, though. Easy to get a seat for the subway ride, busses going to Seoul, and also a bus going to Suwon. Only problem with Bundang is a lack of eventful nightlife, but not everyone is a party machine.

[Buckeyegirl]

The school I just applied to is in Yeoksam/Kangnam. I don't know much about these areas. What are your opinons? Oh, and someone asked why I was going - to work.

[uberscheisse]

kangnam is alright. of course, i've only seen the parts of kangnam that i live in and the kangnam station area.

if you're in yeoksam i think it's near the river... so if you were to get sick of the bustle of the city, you could go walk by the polluted as hell han river... which is about as close to nature/green space as you'll get in kangnam.

[osangrl]

yeoksam is a REALLY nice area.. and there is a subway sandwiches. Its proximate to everything... i'd live there. Good area.

[mindmetoo]

Basically I'd live anywhere as long as I'm close to a decent grocery store and a subway station. South of the river, gangnam is a bit more modern and has a bit more of a western city feel to it. I probably wish I found a job/place there in some way.

[kangnamdragon]